System and method for computer-created advertisements

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a computerized method for a user to create an advertisement by displaying a plurality of advertising formats for selection by a user; displaying a template corresponding to a selected advertising format; displaying a plurality of product references for selection by the user; displaying on the template a selected product reference to create a proposed advertisement; and creating a preview of the proposed advertisement, all of which may be implemented using the Internet. The invention further relates to a computerized system for creating an advertisement that comprises a template database for storing advertising formats; a product database for storing product references; and a computer to access the databases. Preferably, the user has a network interface such as Internet access that permits access via a remote location, software to permit a user to specify specifications such as quantity, printing information, ship date, paper type, pricing information, and payment information, and may be configured to receive images and text for new products.

REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to U.S. provisional application,entitled “Internet Advertising Design Build Model,” assigned Ser. No.60/213,484, filed Jun. 23, 2000, which is specifically and entirelyincorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to business models, methods and systems forgenerating advertising materials useful for all forms of advertisement.More particularly, this invention relates to computerized systems andmethods for creating advertisements.

2. Description of the Background

Conventional business methods for creating advertising require thatwritten materials and other documentation be provided by a customer(which we will refer to herein as the user) to third party graphicartists who design the layout. The customer must wait to receive ahard-copy proof from the artists, and then, after reviewing and revisingthe proof, resend the proof to the artists for redesign. When the proofis finally approved, the information must be delivered to a commercialprinter to produce the advertisements in their final form. At each stageof the process, there can be substantial delays. After one or moreredesigns, the customer must wait for a final proof and then, onceapproved, wait for the final product to be produced.

The conventional process is time consuming and inefficient, and can alsobe very expensive relative to the cost of services that can be providedby the present invention. For example, a customer must employ theservices of a graphic artist, which can add significant cost to theprocess. Moreover, the inclusion of a graphic artist into the processrequires additional time and communications between the artist and thecustomer. Each time the work-in-process is transferred between parties(for example, from the graphic artist to the customer, from the customerto the graphic artist, and from the graphic artist to the printer), thework-in-process must enter the queue of the recipient, which may adduncontrollable delays, not to mention the time associated with thelogistics of transferring materials. Accordingly, there is a need for animproved system that is less time consuming and less costly.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to methods and systems for creatingadvertisements. The present invention uses computers and software tocreate efficiencies in designing and printing advertisements. Thepresent invention also contemplates the use of the Internet tostreamline the processes.

Disclosed herein is a computerized method for a user to create anadvertisement, comprising the steps: displaying on a computer aplurality of advertising formats for selection by the user; displayingon the computer, in response to selection by the user, a template thatcorresponds to a selected one or more of the plurality of advertisingformats; displaying on the computer a plurality of product referencesfor selection by the user; displaying on the template at least oneselected product reference to create a proposed advertisement; andcreating a preview of the proposed advertisement. The method may alsoinvolve submitting specifications to a remote site and printingadvertisements in accordance with the specifications. Remote sites arepreferably commercial printers, but may also be printers in anotheroffice, at another location or in a different country.

Also disclosed is an Internet-based method for a user to create anadvertisement, comprising the steps: accessing a web site through acomputer; displaying on the computer a plurality of advertising formatsfor selection by the user; displaying on the computer, in response toselection by the user, a template that corresponds to a selected one ormore of the plurality of advertising formats; displaying on the computera plurality of product references for selection by the user; displayingon the template at least one selected product reference to create aproposed advertisement; submitting to a remote site, via the internet,electronic files of the proposed advertisement, specifications for theproposed advertisement, the specifications including at least one of aquantity, a paper size, printing specifications, drop shippinginformation, and a payment method; creating, at the remote site, apreview of the proposed advertisement which may be a hard-copy proof oran electronic or other preview; making the preview available to the userfor review; and printing, in accordance with set printingspecifications, advertisements that correspond to the proposedadvertisements. The method may also provide the user with the ability toenter information concerning custom product references, such that thecustom product references may be displayed on the template along withproduct references selected from the displayed plurality of productreferences.

A computerized system for creating an advertisement is also disclosed.The system comprises: a template database for storing a plurality ofadvertising formats; a product database for storing a plurality ofproduct references; a computer that has access to the template databaseand the product database. The computer accesses software that is capableof incorporating: a template selector for selecting at least onetemplate from the template database; a product selector for selecting atleast one product reference from the product database, each of the atleast one product reference including at least one of an image and text;and a design interface for controlling the placement of a selectedproduct reference on a selected template in order to create a proposedadvertisement. The computer may also have a network interface (such asan interface to the Internet) that permits access to the computer via aremote location, so that a user may access the computer in order tocreate a proposed advertisement. The computer may also include softwareto create a specifications interface for inputting specifications (forexample, quantity, printing information, shipping information anddestination, pricing information, paper type, and payment information)for the advertisement.

Also disclosed is a computerized system for creating an advertisement,comprising: a template database for storing a plurality of advertisingformats; a product database for storing a plurality of productreferences; and a computer that has access to the template database andthe product database. The computer accesses software that is capable ofincorporating: a template selector for selecting at least one templatefrom the template database; a product input interface for adding newproduct references to the template database; a product selector forselecting at least one product reference from the product database, eachof the at least one product reference including at least one of an imageand text; and a design interface for controlling the placement of aselected product reference on a selected template in order to create aproposed advertisement. The computer is also configured to include anetwork interface that permits access to the computer via a computernetwork connection such as, for example, an Internet or otherbroadband-based connection, a modem, a networked computer, orcombinations thereof so that a user may access the computer to create aproposed advertisement. The system may also include an input forreceiving an image (for example, from a digital camera) and textualinformation concerning new products, and a data marker for linking thedigital data and the image.

An Internet-based method for a user to create an advertisement is alsodisclosed. The method comprises: accessing a web site through acomputer, the web site being hosted on a host computer, and the hostcomputer having access to a first database of advertising formats and asecond database of product references; accessing the first database toidentify a plurality of advertising formats; displaying on the computerthe plurality of advertising formats for selection by the user;displaying on the computer, in response to selection by the user, atemplate that corresponds to a selected one or more of the plurality ofadvertising formats; accessing the second database to identify aplurality of product references; displaying on the computer theplurality of product references for selection by the user; displaying onthe template at least one selected product reference to create aproposed advertisement; submitting to a remote site, via the Internet,electronic files of the proposed advertisement, specifications for theproposed advertisement, the specifications and final files thatconstitute the proposed advertisement including at least one of aquantity, printing specifications, a ship date, a paper type, and apayment method; creating, at the remote site, a preview of the proposedadvertisement (e.g. hard-copy proof, electronic preview, printer'sproof); and printing, in accordance with the printing specifications,shipping and destination information, pricing and payment information,advertisements that correspond to the proposed advertisements. Themethod may also involve displaying on the computer a menu such as, forexample, a drop-down or pop-up menu, that permits new custom productreferences to be entered into the second database.

Also disclosed are a method and system whereby a user operates acomputer to create an advertisement. This method comprises the steps:selecting an advertising format from a plurality of advertising formats;displaying a template that corresponds to a selected advertising format,which template includes a plurality of advertising areas; selecting aproduct reference, which product reference comprises at least one of animage and text; and importing the selected product reference onto anadvertising area to create an advertisement. Preferably, the advertisingarea is configured to automatically format the selected productreference to fit within physical dimensions of the advertising area.

A method and system for creating an advertisement are also disclosed.This method comprises: selecting an advertising format; displaying atemplate that corresponds to a selected advertising format, whichtemplate includes a plurality of advertising areas; selecting aplurality of product references; specifying a rule of priority forlaying out the plurality of product references onto the plurality ofadvertising areas; and generating an advertisement whereby the pluralityof product references are placed onto the plurality of advertising areasin accordance with the rule of priority.

The present invention overcomes the problems and disadvantagesassociated with conventional methods and systems including electronicsystems, and provides new business methods and systems whereby a usercan access host computer or server (for example, by way of a web site onthe Internet), and quickly and efficiently create customized advertisingmaterials.

Other embodiments and advantages of the invention are set forth in partin the description which follows, and in part, will be obvious from thisdescription, or may be learned from the practice of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 depicts a general purpose computer system.

FIG. 2 illustrates a schematic of one embodiment of one configuration ofthe invention.

FIG. 3 illustrates a schematic of one embodiment of one process of theinvention.

FIG. 4 illustrates a template for selection of a product by vendor,brand or category.

FIG. 5 illustrates available product reference options for theparticular product selected from FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 illustrates a selection of one product reference option from FIG.5.

FIG. 7 illustrates incorporation of the product reference selected fromFIG. 6 into the final advertisement.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A technical advantage of the present invention is that it may be used tosignificantly reduce the amount of time involved in preparingadvertisements. The amount of time reduction is surprising. As a resultof the time reductions realized, materials can be submitted weeks inadvance—instead of months (which was previously the norm for someusers). In some cases, advertising materials can be created in a matterof hours (and possibly minutes in the cases of one page advertisements).

Another technical advantage of the present invention is that it may beused to significantly reduce the cost involved in preparingadvertisements. The cost savings is surprising.

Another technical advantage of the present invention is that the methodand systems permit a user to create high quality advertisement materialswithout the services of a graphic artist, thereby realizing unexpectedsavings in time and expense.

Another technical advantage of the present invention is that the methodand systems permit a user to direct the electronic transfer of a finalor non-final advertising file to a commercial printer (which can belocal, within the same city, or distant, outside the country) or otherdestination such as, for example, a desk top printer, an e-mail account,a website, or a facility for further processing.

Another technical advantage of the present invention is that the methodand systems permit a user to eliminate the time associated with certainqueues (e.g., the queue of the graphic artist who designs a layout foran ad), thereby realizing unexpected savings in time.

Another technical advantage of the present invention is that the methodand systems permit a user to print its own advertisements, which willresult in greater control over printing costs and timing. Printing “inhouse” also eliminates the delay of queues that may exist when projectsare delivered to a commercial printer.

Another technical advantage of the present invention is that the methodand systems are easily used, and the databases are easily updated.

Another technical advantage of the present invention is that the methodand systems are easily customized to provide a unique look for eachuser, and to provide uniformity from advertisement to advertisement,thereby, helping a user to create branding among its trademarks.

Another technical advantage of the present invention is that the methodand systems provide cost-effective advertisement services, well belowthe rates charged by professional designers.

Another technical advantage of the present invention is that the methodand systems permit a user to maintain up-to-date product databases inorder to facilitate the creation of accurate and current advertisements.

Another technical advantage of the present invention is that the methodand systems facilitate the provision of services to users who desire tohave another person or entity create and maintain user productdatabases.

Another technical advantage of the present invention is that the methodand systems permit flexibility in the creation of advertisements, in thesense that advertisements may be created using any number of colors, aswell as in black and white.

Another technical advantage of the present invention is that the methodand systems are easily used, and the databases are easily updated.

Another technical advantage of the present invention is that the methodand systems can be easily updated through software upgrades to includethe latest fashions in advertisement design services.

Another technical advantage of the present invention is that the methodand systems are modified to provide links to other web pages so that thelatest information concerning new and existing products can beintegrated into the databases of the present system, as well as toprovide access to others so that they can obtain the latest informationabout a user's products and services.

Another technical advantage of the present invention is that the methodand systems permit a service provider (one who operates the presentinvention) to calculate and prepare a co-op report for each user.Moreover, the software associated with the method and systems of thepresent system permit a service provider to process orders and arrangepayment to a printer on behalf of a user.

Another technical advantage of the present invention is that the methodand systems permit a user to rapidly create high quality advertisementmaterials.

Another technical advantage of the present invention is that the methodand systems permit the use of the Internet as a platform for thedevelopment and product of new advertising materials, thereby providinga fast and technologically sophisticated method for creatingadvertising. The system of the invention permits even a novice to easilycreate sophisticated advertisements.

The preferred embodiment of the present invention and its advantages arebest understood by referring to FIGS. 1 through 7 of the drawings, likenumerals being used for like and corresponding parts of the variousdrawings.

Referring to FIG. 1, a general purpose computer for use with the presentinvention is provided. Processor 102 has input/output section 104,central processing unit 106, and memory section 108. Input/outputsection 104 may be connected to keyboard 110, display unit 112, diskstorage unit 114, and CD-ROM drive unit 116. CD-ROM unit 116 can read aCD-ROM medium 118, which typically contains programs and data 120. Inone embodiment, the general purpose computer may lack some or all of thefeatures described above. For example, the general purpose computer mayoperate as a terminal, an emulator, etc. with network access.

The present invention is directed to a system for computer-createdadvertisements. Referring to FIG. 2, a system according to oneembodiment of the present invention is provided. The system may includea plurality of network access devices 202, such as the general purposecomputer described in FIG. 1, may be used. In one embodiment, networkaccess devices 202 may include wireless devices, including wirelessPersonal Digital Assistants (“PDAs”) (e.g., Palm™ VII, Research inMotion's Blackberry™), wireless web-enabled phones, pagers, etc.

Network access device 202 may interface with at least one network 250.Network 250 may include the Internet, one or more Local Area Networks(“LANs”), one or more Metropolitan Area Networks (“MANs”), one or moreWide Area Networks (“WANs”), one or more Intranet, etc. An interfacebetween network access device 202 and network 250 may be provided as isknown in the art. By way of example, and without limitation, theinterface may be provided by unshielded twisted pair wiring, such asCAT-5, coaxial cable, telephone lines, fiber optic cables, or any othersuitable communication medium. In one embodiment, network access devices202 may interface with network 250 via a wireless interface.

Server 210 may support the software used in conjunction with the presentinvention. In one embodiment, server 210 may access product database 212and template database 214, which will be discussed in greater detailbelow. Server 210 may access network 250 in a manner as described above.

In one embodiment, printer 220 may be provided. Printer 220 may produceelectronic or hard copies of the advertisement, as will be discussed ingreater detail below. Printer 220 may access network 250 in a manner asdescribed above.

In another embodiment of the present invention, and referring to FIG. 3,a method for computer-created advertisements according to one embodimentof the present invention is provided. In step 302, advertising formatsare displayed for the user. In step 304, the user selects an advertisingformat to sue. In step 306, at least one template corresponding to theselected advertising format may be displayed. In step 308, at least oneproduct reference is displayed for the user. In step 310, the userselects at least one product reference. In step 312, the selectedproduct reference may be displayed on the template. In step 314, apreview of the advertisement may be created for the user. In step 316,the user may review the preview, and, if satisfactory, may authorize theproduction of the advertisement. In step 318, the advertisement may beproduced, in an electronic format, in a printed format, etc.

Sample screenshots that correspond to steps in the method of FIG. 3 areprovided as FIGS. 4-7. A detailed discussion of the method of FIG. 3will be provided, below.

In a preferred embodiment of the present inventions, the systems andmethods utilize a program that is template-based and includes a databaseof products offered by a user. The template and its “look” arepreferably controlled by the company manufacturing or supplying theproducts to permit the user to create a consistent and desirable publicimage, while simultaneously allowing the user flexibility in specifyingthe content of its advertisements. Predetermined descriptions, graphics,logos, images and associated items may be stored in a database for easeof navigation, but the flexibility of inserting a custom price anddescription for the various products may also be provided to the user.Preferably, the program may be customized for each user to give theuser's advertisements a distinctive design and functionality.

In another preferred embodiment, a user may specify the number of pagesto be included in an advertisement, as well as certain printingspecifications. For example, a user may specify a delivery method for anadvertisement (e.g., direct mailing to potential users), a quantity, apaper size, drop shipping information, and other like printinginformation. By way of example, after completing the design of anadvertisement, a user may cause the service provider's server to deliverinformation files electronically to a printer for printing anddistribution.

In another preferred embodiment, a user may specify the electronicdelivery of a final or non-final advertisement to a target audience viae-mail or by posting it on one or more websites. This enables a user toproduce both printed and electronic advertisements through the systemsand methods of the invention.

The invention reduces the development time from months to weeks, (and insome cases, days or even hours), thereby substantially increasingefficiency and reducing time to develop a final advertisement. Thepresent inventions permits the designing advertising, printing anddelivering of a final product to a target audience in a rapid,cost-effective manner.

The present invention is also directed to a software program developedto significantly reduce the time and frustration associated with currentmethods of developing a newspaper advertisement. This Internet basedprogram allows a user (e.g., a store owner) to access a web site throughthe click of an icon, to select a template, a number of pages, and otherinformation, and to point and click through a systematic method ofcircular development. Upon login, the store owner is preferablypresented with updates and messages about new vendors, special sales ornew additions to the program. Through a library of suppliers categorizedby vendor, store department, SKU and product description, a store ownermay select products that are desired to be advertised. The store ownermay place the selected products into pre-designed templates, and mayalso take advantage of predetermined company advertisements. The adspreferably have sufficient flexibility to permit creativity, and yetsufficient standardization to keep the process easy. Upon completion ofthe design process to create an advertisement, a store owner may dictateprint or display specifications to specify, for example, quantity,destination, pricing, drop ship and/or payment information. Preferably,the present invention is accompanied by help menus to assist the user indesigning an advertisement. Preferably, the advertisement may beelectronically transmitted to a professional printer for processing,printing and delivery. Upon receipt of the file, the professionalprinter may generate a preview (e.g. printer's proof or other hard-copy,electronic preview), which preview may be transmitted to the store owner(by way of facsimile, electronic mail, or courier) along with finalpricing and a production confirmation.

The commercial printer may also provide a co-op claim calculationsreport. Turnkey co-op claim filing and processing may also be provided.Preferably, the program library (i.e., the database) of suppliers isupdated regularly in order to reflect current available products and/orinventory.

The present invention requires a computer. Preferably, the computerincludes a modem (e.g. dial-up connections such 14.4, 28.8 or 56K modem,DSL, cable), more preferably high speed, or other access interface (e.g.a T1 or T3 connection, satellite) to permit high speed access to aserver. Preferably, the computer includes software to permit rapid andreliable access to the Internet, preferably the user has an account withan Internet access provider. In setting up an Internet connection, itmay be desirable to utilize cache to keep local copies of frequentlyaccessed pages, and thus reduce the demands on bandwidth to the network.

In one embodiment of the present invention, a user utilizes an Internetconnection in order to access a web site on a host computer. The website may, for example, be maintained and hosted by a commercial printer,a supplier, or an Internet Service Provider. The web site, whenaccessed, may request a user to log into the site by entering a usernameand password.

Generally, a user will specify the advertising format that is desired.Preferably, the user selects an advertising format from a plurality ofadvertising formats displayed on the computer screen. More preferably,the user selects from a pull down menu of advertising formats. Anadvertising format establishes the type of advertisement that isdesired. Examples include circulars that are distributed by hand topotential users, newspaper inserts that are distributed as part of anewspaper, direct mail advertisements that are mailed directly topotential users, newsletters that are distributed to existing clients inorder to keep them informed, and banners. Advertising materials that maybe generated using the present invention are not limited to theseexamples, but may include any kind of print, digital, electronic orother form of advertisement.

When the user selects an advertising format such as, for example, anewsletter, the present invention will provide the user an opportunityto prepare a custom newsletter. Preferably, the user will have theopportunity to specify the number of pages in the newsletter, as well asto include a table of contents, product photos, and descriptive text. Inone embodiment, the present invention may present the user with aplurality of options from which the user may choose (e.g., 2 pages vs. 4pages, double-sided vs. single-sided). Upon completion of the designphase, the newsletter may be processed and electronically transferred toa commercial printer for printing. The commercial printer may print theadvertisement, providing the user with hard copies that may bedistributed directly to existing customers as well as potentialcustomers of the user. Alternatively, the user may duplicate the printsusing the user's own facilities, thereby achieving further savings intime and money. Yet another alternative is for the commercial printer toprocess the advertisement after receiving the electronic files.

When the user selects a newspaper ad as an advertising format, thepresent invention will provide the user an opportunity to prepare acustom newspaper ad. Preferably, the user will have the opportunity tospecify the size of the advertisement (e.g., full page, half page,quarter page, etc.), as well as to include product photos, pricinginformation (e.g. price, discount, sale, rate, coupon, etc.) and otherdescriptive text. Upon completion of the design phase, the ad ispreferably transferred electronically to a newspaper company forinclusion in a newspaper. Alternatively, the ad may be transferredelectronically for processing at a commercial printer, and thentransferred electronically to a newspaper company for publication.

When the user selects a circular as an advertising format, the presentinvention will provide the user an opportunity to prepare a customcircular. Preferably, the user will have the opportunity to specify thenumber of pages in the circular, as well as to include product photos,pricing information and other descriptive text. In one embodiment, thepresent invention may present the user with a plurality of options fromwhich the user may choose (e.g., 4 pages vs. 8 pages). Upon completionof the design phase, the circular is preferably transferredelectronically for processing and printing at a commercial printer. Thecommercial printer may process and print the circular, and thereafter,provide hard copies to newspaper companies, if desired. Alternatively,the ad may be transferred electronically for processing at a commercialprinter, and then transferred electronically to a newspaper company forpublication.

Once an advertising format has been selected, a user may select atemplate that corresponds to the selected advertising format. In oneembodiment, the present invention will provide a one-to-onecorrespondence between available advertising formats and templates. Itis recognized and understood, however, that a selected advertisingformat may have a plurality of templates that correspond to the selectedformat. Moreover, different advertising formats may share one or moretemplates. In the case of a one-to-one correspondence, the selection ofan advertising format may pre-ordain the selection of a template.

Preferably, after selecting an advertising format, the user will beprovided by the present invention with an opportunity to select one of aplurality of templates that correspond to a selected advertising format.For example, if a circular is chosen as an advertising format, the usermay be presented with a plurality of pre-defined templates for acircular. By selecting one of the pre-defined templates, the user willbe able to save much time in designing a custom circular. It isunderstood and acknowledged, however, that the present invention mayalso be designed to permit a user to have even greater flexibility bypresenting a template that provides a user with greater flexibility interms of overall layout and design.

In a preferred embodiment, the present invention includes a database oftemplates, which database can be readily accessed and regularly updated.The database may be organized such that each template is allocated arecord. Of course, the present invention contemplates that many otherknown means of organizing data and databases may be used to maintain aplurality of templates for purposes of this invention.

Once a template is chosen, the user is provided with an opportunity tocustomize the template. In the case where a template involves multiplepages, the user may be provided with an opportunity to select a page ofthe template to design and/or edit. In either event, the user may beginto customize the advertisement.

In a preferred embodiment, the user may be presented with options toinclude pre-defined product ads as well as new product ads that the usermay create. A pre-defined product ad is one that was created previouslyand saved into memory (e.g., stored into a database or otherwise on acomputer memory). Alternatively, the pre-defined product ad may be savedas part of a template, in which case the next time a template is used,it may be defined to include the pre-defined product ad. Preferably,templates include additional areas that permit new products to beadvertised. FIG. 1 illustrates a template that includes pre-definedadvertisements, as well as providing blocks where custom product ads maybe placed. One way of readily identifying areas where new product adsmay be placed is by coloring an area of the template with a color. Thatway, a user readily sees a blank portion on the template and may“import” (or otherwise add by way of an editor) a new product ad.

In one embodiment, a template may include a predetermined window thatpermits a user to specify an expiration date for an advertisement, oreven a range of effective dates for the advertisement. For example, theuser may be presented with a menu to enter two dates “D1” and “D2”, andthe menu may automatically add text to the template that provides thatthe advertisement is good from D1 through D2.

Preferably, each template includes areas wherein a user may add customtext. Custom text may describe a particular product or refer to theoverall advertisement (e.g., “Special Sale,” “We Install” or “Weappreciate your business.”). A user friendly way of designing thisfeature is to provide an area on the template wherein text and/or imagesmay be added simply by clicking on the area and pasting the text and/orimages. Optionally, a menu may be used to enter custom text and/orimages into an area on a template. For purposes of this document, areaswherein custom text and/or images may be placed shall be referred to as“advertisement areas” or, more simply, “ad areas.” The ad area may beconfigured to be a square, a rectangle, a circle, or other geometricshape. Color may also be used to designate the physical limits of an adarea. An ad area may also be comprised of multiple boxes. For example,an ad area may have one box for an image file, one box for text, and onebox for a price. (The use of the term “box” is not intended to belimited to any particular geometric shape.)

In a preferred embodiment, the template may include multiple ad areas,and the ad areas may be different shapes and/or sizes. Each of themultiple ad areas may be the same or a different color. Each of themultiple ad areas, preferably, may be easily modified in terms ofplacement on the template, as well as in terms of physical size. Theability to adjust the placement and/or the size of each ad area willfacilitate the design process.

An ad area may be customized, for example, to emphasize a theme, such asIndependence Day Sale, Memorial Day Sale, or even, Congratulations tothe Local Graduating Class. When used for developing a theme, the adarea may be used to hold a graphic image (such as fireworks, flags, or agraduation cap) and/or text directed to the theme. Once a theme isdeveloped, a user may chose to save the theme template as a customtemplate for future use.

An ad area on a template may be configured to receive one or moreproduct references, thereby permitting a user to customize a template inthe process of creating an advertisement. A user may customize atemplate by adding one or more product references to the template. Aproduct reference may include images of a product to be advertisedand/or custom text that describes one or more aspects of the product(e.g., price, size, weight, specifications, etc.). A product referencemay include other information relating to the product, for example, SKUnumbers, barcodes, trademarks, logos, etc. For purposes of thisdocument, information concerning a product to be advertised such as, forexample, one or more of text blocks which may include pricinginformation, pictures, characters, images, designs, sketches, colors,manufacturer logos, shall be referred to individually and collectivelyas a product reference. The overall appearance of the desiredinformation (i.e. collection of chosen product references) for aparticular product or products may also be referred to as productpresentation.

In a preferred embodiment, the system and the method of the presentinvention may provide the user with assistance in setting the price fora product to be advertised. For example, the present invention mayprovide the user with historical pricing information for the productbeing advertised (for example, a 50 foot long roll of masking tape),and/or pricing information on products within a particular category (forexample, all rolls of masking tape). This feature will help to minimizethe occurrence of pricing errors, which will help to minimize damage togood will associated with such errors. The pricing information providedby the pricing assistance program may include, lowest sale price,highest regular price, average sale price, etc.

It is contemplated that a user may desire to choose among multipleproduct references for the identical product. For example, a user mayselect a first product reference that includes an image of “Product A”and text describing Product A. Alternatively, a user may select a secondproduct reference that comprises only text describing Product A.Alternatively, a user may select a third product reference thatcomprises only an image of Product A. In addition, the user may select afourth product reference, which is similar in all respects to the firstproduct reference, but which has a different layout of the imagerelative to the text. For example, the image may be larger in oneproduct reference, and the price may be in a larger font or type sizefor emphasis.

The option to choose between the first product reference and the fourthproduct reference will permit a user to design an advertisement withconsistency from product ad to product ad, or to choose layout varietyfrom product ad to product ad. In a preferred embodiment, the user willhave multiple product references for each given product, whichreferences vary in both content as well as layout.

When designing an advertisement, a user may have the option of addingone or more product references to the template. Preferably, the user ispresented with a plurality of product references from which to choose.The presentation of the product references on a computer screen mayinclude an image of a particular product and/or text that describes oneor more aspects of the product. Often, a user may have thousands ofproducts that it may be interested in advertising. In such a case, it ispreferable that the product references be organized by at least onemethodology, and more preferably, by multiple methodologies. Forexample, product references may organized generally by generic categorydescriptions (say, “Books,” “Magazines,” “Clothing,” “Gifts,”“Hardware,” etc.) It may be preferred that the generic categories havesubcategories as well. For example a generic category such as “clothing”may be further categorized into “boots,” “hats,” “jewelry,” “shirts,”etc. Another methodology for organizing product references is byindividual vendors who supply products. By clicking on one of the twowindows, the user is provided with a pull-down menu of categories orvendors, and by selecting one of the provided references, the user isfurther provided with a portion or all of the product references thatare associated with the user's prior selections (e.g., all of the hats,some of the shoes, etc.).

The system maintains in a memory storage device a list of productreferences. In a preferred embodiment, the present invention includes adatabase of product references, which database can be readily accessedand regularly updated. The database may be organized such that eachproduct reference is allocated a record, which includes an image (or areference marker that associates an image with the product), and text(or other information) that describes one or more features of theproduct (for example, title, price, weight, etc.). Of course, thepresent invention contemplates that many other known means of organizingdata and databases may be used to maintain a plurality of productreferences for purposes of this invention.

The present invention may also utilize multiple databases of productreferences. This is especially useful when the user is a local office ofa national chain. For example, the present invention may use onedatabase of product references for products that are advertisednationally, and a second database of product references for productsthat are advertised locally. This will permit a user to participate in anational advertisement campaign, and yet permit the user to add productsthat are important to a local clientele.

In one embodiment, the user may be provided with the option of using alogo or trademark of a manufacturer for a particular product. This willpermit potential users to readily identify the manufacturer of a productthat is being advertised. In another embodiment, the optional logoand/or trademark may be included as part of a product reference, and mayeven be stored in a database of product references, with referencemarkers associating the logo with the appropriate products.

The present invention also provides the user with the ability to inputnew product references. In a preferred embodiment the present inventionwould include a image capture device (such as a digital camera orscanner) which would permit the user to input an image of the product tobe advertised. The new product reference optionally would include customtext that describes one or more aspects of the product. Preferably, thesystem would update its plurality of product references (e.g., byupdating its database of product references) to include the new productreference and make it available for the user to select and add to atemplate.

In a preferred embodiment, the ad area on a template is configured towork with a product reference. For example, the product reference may bestored as an image file. If the image file is a fixed image of 2″×2″,then ad areas may be configured to accept images of the same size,namely, 2″×2″.

More preferably, the ad area on a template is adjustable such that thead area may be adjusted in size in such a fashion that the productreference is automatically formatted and adjusted in size to fit theresized ad area. In this embodiment the invention takes the dimensionsof an ad area (which may be pre-defined, or which may be measureddynamically) and then scales an image file (which image file may includetext and/or photographs) of a product reference to fit the dimensions ofthe ad area. Of course, one skilled in the art will appreciate that thisfeature may be designed to operate in other fashions. Such an automaticresizing feature has the unexpected advantage of permitting thememory-stored product references to be automatically and dynamicallyadjusted without having to occupy additional memory space. Moreover,this feature has the surprising advantage of providing a user with greatflexibility in designing a custom advertisement. This feature also hasthe additional advantage that product images may be stored in anydimension (and, in fact, may be stored at varying image dimensions).

An example will readily demonstrate the flexibility of an automaticresizing feature. A user designs a template to include five ad areas,each of which is of a different size. The user utilizes a singledatabase of product references and places a different product referencein each of the five ad areas. Without any additional effort on behalf ofthe user, each of the five product references is adjusted in size to fitwithin each of the five user-defined ad areas. Moreover, because of theautomatic resizing feature, a user could rearrange the productreferences on the same template, and the product references would beautomatically resized and re-formatted to fit within its new ad areas.This feature permits quick and easy revisions to the layout of anadvertisement.

The automatic resizing feature also has the unexpected advantage that itcan readily accommodate new product references. If for example, increating a new product reference, the scanner scans a photograph of aproduct that is 4″×6″, the new product reference can incorporate theentire image file. When the product reference is ready to be added to anadvertisement, the system and method of the present invention mayautomatically adjust the size of the original image file (in this case,4″×6″) to fit within the dimensions of the particular ad area in thedesignated template.

It is envisioned that the automatic resizing feature may operate on allformats of product references. For example, where the product referenceis comprised entirely of text and stored in an ASCII format, theautomatic resizing feature may adjust the font, type size and/or thelayout of the text to fit into a predetermined ad area. Also, where theproduct reference is comprised entirely of an image and stored in animage format, the automatic resizing feature may adjust the size of theimage to fit into a predetermined ad area. It is also envisioned thatthe automatic resizing feature may also make any other necessaryconversions to accommodate a product reference. For example, if apre-determined ad area is formatted to receive only an image file, andthe selected product reference is stored as text, the automatic resizingfeature may be expected to convert the text into a desired size suchthat the product reference may be placed upon the particular ad area.

In the case where an ad area is comprised of multiple boxes, the usermay be presented with an opportunity to input a sale price for aparticular item. The user may be presented with a “price window” whichis specifically reserved for pricing information, or the user may bepresented with a custom text window, wherein the user may enter pricinginformation as part of the custom text. If the ad area includes a boxfor an image file, the user may be presented with an opportunity toinput an image file (for example, from the product reference database).

In a preferred embodiment, the user is provided with an opportunity topreview the advertisement as it will look when printed. One way toprovide this opportunity is with a “preview” button which upon clickingwill automatically display or print an image that looks very much likethe final advertisement as it should be printed.

In a preferred embodiment, the system and the method of the presentinvention may provide the user with assistance in designing the layoutof an advertisement. For example, the present invention may provide theuser with an opportunity to identify one or more priorities that thepresent invention may use in advising the user on a preferred layout.Sample priorities may include the following: maximum size of productimage; maximum number of advertised products per page; minimumseparation between product references; maximum font or type size;minimum font or type size; predetermined number of product referencesper page; grouping by manufacturer; and grouping by product category.For purposes of this document, this feature shall be referred to aspriority-based layout assistance. The priority-based layout assistancemay be utilized on a template that has already been designed by theuser, in which case the assistance program may be used to optimize thelayout.

In another preferred embodiment, the user may submit a template and alist of product references to be automatically laid-out by thepriority-based layout assistance program. It is contemplated that a usermay reset priorities and then preview the results based on the new listof priorities. The priority-based layout assistance will work especiallywell when each product being advertised has multiple product referencesfrom which the assistance program may choose. For example, if a toppriority is maximum product image size, the assistance program maylayout the initial draft advertisement using those product referenceswith the largest images. This means that the product references mayinclude information describing the differences between the variousproduct references for each product. For example, the database ofproduct references may be designed to hold up to 10 product referencesfor each product, whereby the product references are organized fromlargest product image to smallest product image. In any case, thepriority-based layout assistance may provide better refinement incircumstances when there are multiple product references for each of theproducts being advertised.

When the advertisement has been designed (i.e., when the template hasbeen designed and edited to include all of the products and informationthat the user decided to include), the user may review the preview asdisplayed by the computer or the present invention may generate ahard-copy preview or printer's proof for the user to review. How andwhere the proof is generated depends upon the advertising format that isbeing used. For example, for a black and white advertisement, the proofmay be generated at a printer operated by the user (on the premises ofthe user). If a multi-colored glossy circular is desired, the proof maybe generated by a professional printer that is located remotely relativeto the user. To generate a preview, the present invention may transmitelectronically the advertisement to a commercial printer, who mayprocess and create an electronic preview or print a hard-copy proof ofthe final advertisement.

A user may review the preview to confirm that the draft advertisement ascreated using the present invention is acceptable in terms of content,design, quality, etc. If the user approves of the preview, the finaladvertisements may be printed, and preferably, in accordance with anyprinting specification that may have been provided by the user. Inaddition, the invention may offer the user an automatic checking featureof prices, quantities, inventory availability (e.g. in storeavailability or availability from distributor or manufacturerfacilities) or other options (e.g. size, color, composition) againstpreset or predetermined parameters.

It is contemplated that the present invention may be implemented in amanner that provides an account for a user to access, and further thatthe account provides access to a memory storage device where the usermay store data and other information relevant and/or unique to the user.For example, a host computer that may be accessed through an Internetconnection may store product references, templates, and other custominformation for a user, such that when a user logs into its account, theinformation is readily available. This approach will also permit certainadditional convenience features. For example, a user's files, data,orders, and other information may be automatically saved for the benefitof the user. Further, saving can be set up to occur automatically atperiodic intervals, as well as automatically upon the termination of anaccount session (e.g., upon log-off). The user may also be presentedupon a subsequent login, the option of editing a prior session'sadvertisement or creating a new advertisement. Automatic saving featureshave the advantage of significantly reducing the risk of lost data,which consequently helps to reduce the time associated with creatingsubsequent advertisements.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the methods and systems mayprovide delivery options. For example, a user may chose from a pluralityof delivery options that include a) a direct mailing to potential userswhose names and addresses are provided by the user, b) a direct shippingto a newspaper publisher, and c) a direct shipping to the user at one ormultiple locations. When a direct mailing is selected, the user maypreferably provide a data file of names and addresses of persons whowill receive hard copies or electronic direct mailings. The data filemay be provided, for example, via the Internet or a storage media (e.g.hard drives, zip disks, CDs, diskettes).

In one embodiment of the present invention, the methods and systems mayprovide print schedules. Print schedules permit a user to plan thelogistics of meeting a particular advertising goal. For example, a printschedule may include two dates: 1) a distribution date—which is the dateby which a user may wish to have its advertisements distributed; and 2)a publication deadline—which is a date by which the proposedadvertisement should be completed in order to meet the distributiondate. These dates are typically set by a user based upon therequirements of the user's business and the schedules of the commercialprinters that the user will be using in the printing process.

In one embodiment, a user may be presented with a plurality of schedulesfrom which the user may choose. In another embodiment, the user mayinput a distribution date, and the present invention may calculate thepublication date based upon a pre-determined formula (for example, aparticular printer requires two weeks notice to print a job).

In another preferred embodiment, the user may submit a template and alist of product references to be automatically laid-out using thepre-defined template and the order of the list of product references. Itis contemplated, as well, that a user may define a set of priorities andgenerate a draft advertisement based on the list of priorities. Thepriority-based layout assistance will work especially well when eachproduct being advertised has multiple product references from which theassistance program may choose. The advantage of this approach is thatthe user minimizes its demands on the network interface (e.g., a modemconnection). By transmitting the template information and the list ofproduct references, the user avoids having to deal with multiple, largeimage files, and thus, a significant time savings may be realized.Moreover, the system and method of the present invention contemplatesthat the host computer may compile a draft advertisement using thetemplate information and the list of product references, which draftadvertisement may be transmitted directly from the host computer tocommercial printers. In this fashion, the bandwidth demands of theuser's network interface are lessened, resulting in a savings on thedevelopment time and increased reliability.

Other embodiments and uses of the invention will be apparent to thoseskilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practiceof the invention disclosed herein. All references cited herein,including all U.S. and foreign patents and patent applications, arespecifically and entirely hereby incorporated herein by reference. It isintended that the specification and examples be considered exemplaryonly, with the true scope and spirit of the invention indicated by theclaims below. As will be easily understood by those of ordinary skill inthe art, variations and modifications of each of the disclosedembodiments can be easily made within the scope of this invention asdefined by the claims below.

1. A computerized method for a user to create an advertisement,comprising: displaying on a computer a plurality of advertising formatsfor selection by the user; processing the user selection; displaying onthe computer, in response to selection by the user, a template thatcorresponds to a selected one or more of the plurality of advertisingformats; displaying on the computer a plurality of product referencesfor selection by the user; displaying on the template at least oneselected product reference to create a proposed advertisement;automatically rearranging the selected product reference to the selectedformat to create a preview of the proposed advertisement; and displayingthe preview to the user.
 2. The computerized method of claim 1 furthercomprising: submitting to a remote site, through a networked connectionwith the computer, electronic files of the proposed advertisement,specifications for the proposed advertisement, the specificationsincluding at least one of: a quantity, printing information, a shipdate, delivery or shipping instructions, destination information,pricing information, a paper type, and a payment method; creating apreview of the proposed advertisement at the remote site; and creatingadvertisements that correspond to the proposed advertisement inaccordance with said specifications at the remote site.
 3. Thecomputerized method of claim 1 wherein the step of displaying thepreview to the user is selected from the group consisting of: a)displaying a preview of the proposed advertisement on a computer and b)printing a hard-copy preview of the proposed advertisement.
 4. Thecomputerized method of claim 1 wherein the step of displaying on thecomputer a plurality of product references for selection by the usercomprises: displaying a menu of a plurality of product categories forselection by the user; and displaying on the computer, in response toselection of a product category by the user, a plurality of productreferences that correspond to a selected product category.
 5. Thecomputerized method of claim 1 wherein the step of displaying on thecomputer a plurality of product references for selection by the usercomprises: displaying on the computer a menu of a plurality of vendorsfor selection by the user; and displaying on the computer, in responseto selection of a vendor by the user, a plurality of product referencesthat correspond to the selected vendor.
 6. The computerized method ofclaim 1 wherein the step of displaying on the template at least oneselected product reference comprises: displaying on the template atleast one advertisement area for selection by the user; displaying onthe selected advertisement area at least one selected product reference;and displaying on the selected advertisement area information for the atleast one selected product reference.
 7. The computerized method ofclaim 6, wherein the information is pricing information.
 8. Thecomputerized method of claim 1 wherein the selected advertising formatis chosen from the group consisting of a circular, a news paperadvertisement, a hard-copy banner, an electronic banner, a flyer,signage, direct-mail advertisements, electronic-mail advertisements, astore newsletter and combinations thereof.
 9. An electronic method for auser to create an advertisement, comprising: accessing a web sitethrough a computer; displaying on the computer a plurality ofadvertising formats for selection by the user; displaying on thecomputer, in response to selection by the user, a template thatcorresponds to a selected one or more of the plurality of advertisingformats; displaying on the computer a plurality of product referencesfor selection by the user; displaying on the template at least oneselected product reference to create a proposed advertisement;submitting to a remote site, via a network connection, electronic filesof the proposed advertisement, specifications for the proposedadvertisement, the specifications including at least one of a quantity,printing information, a ship date, delivery or shipping instructions,destination information, a paper type, pricing information, and apayment method; automatically rearranging the selected product referenceto the selected format to create, at the remote site, a preview of theproposed advertisement; making the preview available to the user forreview; and automatically creating, in accordance with thespecifications, the advertisement that corresponds to the proposedadvertisement.
 10. The electronic method of claim 9 further comprising:displaying on the computer a menu whereby the user may enter informationconcerning at least one custom product reference; and displaying on thetemplate at least one custom product reference in addition to the atleast one selected product reference.
 11. The electronic method of claim9 wherein the step of displaying on the computer a plurality of productreferences for selection by the user comprises: displaying on thecomputer a menu of a plurality of product categories for selection bythe user; and displaying on the computer, in response to selection bythe user, a plurality of product references that correspond to aselected product category.
 12. The electronic method of claim 9 furthercomprising: logging into an account that is maintained on the web siteusing information that uniquely identifies the user; automaticallysaving, in response to the completion of each step, the proposedadvertisement as a prior proposed advertisement, such that upon asubsequent login into the account, the user will be presented with anoption of editing the prior proposed advertisement.
 13. The electronicmethod of claim 9 further comprising printing a plurality of theadvertisements at said remote site and choosing a delivery option forthe printed advertisements selected from the group consisting of: adirect mailing to potential users whose names and addresses are providedby the user; a direct shipping to a newspaper publisher; and a directshipping to the user at one or more locations.
 14. The electronic methodof claim 13, wherein the chosen delivery option is a direct mailing topotential users, said method further comprising: transmitting, via theInternet or a storage media, a data file comprising names and addressesof potential users to whom the advertisements should be mailed.
 15. Theelectronic method of claim 9 further comprising: displaying on thecomputer a schedule comprising two dates: a distribution date; and apublication deadline wherein said publication date is when theadvertisement is expected to be completed to meet the distribution date.16. An Internet-based method for a user to create an advertisement,comprising: accessing a website through a computer, said website beinghosted on a host computer, and said host computer having access to afirst database of advertising formats and a second database of productreferences; accessing the first database to identify a plurality ofadvertising formats; displaying on the computer the plurality ofadvertising formats for selection by the user; displaying on thecomputer, in response to selection by the user, a template thatcorresponds to a selected one or more of the plurality of advertisingformats; accessing the second database to identify a plurality ofproduct references; displaying on the computer the plurality of productreferences for selection by the user; displaying on the template atleast one selected product reference to create a proposed advertisement;submitting to a remote site via the Internet, electronic files of theproposed advertisement, specifications for the proposed advertisement,the specifications including at least one of a quantity, a ship date, adestination, delivery instructions, pricing information, printinginformation, a paper type, and a payment method; automaticallyrearranging the selected product reference to the selected format tocreate, at the remote site, a preview of the proposed advertisement;making the preview available to the user for review; and displaying ortransferring, in accordance with the specifications, the advertisementthat corresponds to the proposed advertisement.
 17. The Internet-basedmethod of claim 16 further comprising: displaying on the computer a menuwhereby the user may enter information concerning at least one customproduct reference; and displaying on the template at least one customproduct reference in addition to the at least one selected productreference.
 18. An Internet-based method for a user to create anadvertisement, comprising: accessing a website through a computer, saidwebsite being hosted on a host computer, and said host computer havingaccess to a first database of advertising formats and a second databaseof product references; displaying on the computer a menu whereby theuser may enter information concerning a custom product reference;updating the second database to include the information concerning thecustom product reference; accessing the first database to identify aplurality of advertising formats; displaying on the computer theplurality of advertising formats for selection by the user; displayingon the computer, in response to selection by the user, a template thatcorresponds to a selected one or more of the plurality of advertisingformats; accessing the updated second database to identify a pluralityof product references; displaying on the computer the plurality ofproduct references for selection by the user; displaying on the templateat least one selected product reference to create a proposedadvertisement; submitting to a remote site, via the Internet, electronicfiles of the proposed advertisement, specifications for the proposedadvertisement, the specifications including at least one of a quantity,printing information, a ship date, a paper type, pricing information,and a payment method; automatically rearranging the selected productreference to the selected format to create, at the remote site, apreview of the proposed advertisement; making the preview available tothe user for review; and displaying or transferring, in accordance withthe specifications, the advertisement that corresponds to the proposedadvertisement.
 19. A method whereby a user operates a computer to createan advertisement, comprising: selecting an advertising format from aplurality of advertising formats stored on a computer; displaying on thecomputer, in response to selection by the user, a template thatcorresponds to a selected one or more of the plurality of advertisingformats, said template including a plurality of advertising areas;selecting one of a plurality of product references, each of said productreferences comprising at least one of an image and text; importing theselected product reference onto one of the plurality of advertisingareas to create an advertisement, whereby said advertising area isconfigured to automatically format the selected product reference to fitwithin physical dimensions of the advertising area.
 20. The method ofclaim 19, wherein the product advertising area is configured toautomatically scale the selected product reference to fit withinphysical dimensions of the advertising area.
 21. The method of claim 19,wherein the advertising area is configured to automatically convert theproduct reference into a scaled image with physical dimensions that areabout the same as the physical dimensions of an advertising area.
 22. Amethod whereby a user operates a computer to create an advertisement,comprising: selecting an advertising format from a plurality ofadvertising formats stored on a computer; displaying on the computer, inresponse to selection by the user, a template that corresponds to aselected one or more of the plurality of advertising formats, saidtemplate including a plurality of advertising areas; selecting aplurality of product references, each of said product referencescomprising at least one of an image and text; specifying at least onerule of priority for laying out the plurality of product references ontothe plurality of advertising areas; generating an advertisement wherebythe plurality of product references are automatically placed onto theplurality of advertising areas in accordance with the at least one ruleof priority.
 23. The method of claim 22, wherein the step of selecting aplurality of product references comprises: selecting a plurality ofproducts to be advertised, each of said products having a correspondingplurality of product references, each of which product referencescomprises image, text or image and text, and each of which correspondingproduct references differ in size of an image and size of a text font,wherein the rule of priority is to maximize the size of the images foreach of the selected products, when said product references are laid-outon a template.
 24. The method of claim 22 whereby the rules of priorityare chosen from the group consisting of: maximum size of product image;maximum number of advertised products per page; minimum separationbetween product references; maximum font size; minimum font size;predetermined number of product references per page; grouping bymanufacturer; and grouping by product category.